Australian privacy concerns rise as trust in AI companies falls
Australian privacy concerns rise as trust in AI companies falls
https://dig.watch/updates/australian-privacy-oaic-ai-trust
Publish Date: 2026-05-29 06:37:00
Source Domain: dig.watch
Australians want greater transparency and fairer data practices as privacy complaints rise, according to the OAIC.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has released a major survey showing that privacy concerns are rising across Australia, while public trust in AI companies and social media remains extremely low.
The Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, conducted every three years, found that 87% of respondents are more concerned about privacy than they were five years ago. The survey examines Australians’ privacy attitudes and experiences, including how recent events have shaped public expectations.
Trust was especially low for emerging and data-intensive sectors. Only 4% of respondents said they trusted AI companies, while 3% said the same for social media. Trust also declined across the insurance, telecommunications, technology, retail, and real estate sectors, while remaining highest for health service providers and Australian Government agencies.
Launching the report at the Data Privacy & Consumer Protection Summit 2026, Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said Australians’ expectations about privacy continue to sharpen as the information ecosystem becomes more complex, data-intensive, and difficult to navigate.
The OAIC said privacy complaints have increased by 73% year to date. Kind said trust is uneven across sectors and that wariness of emerging technologies is increasing, particularly around fairness, accountability, and the practical ability to exercise rights.
The survey also found that 68% of Australians would be more likely to use digital services requiring personal information if they knew their data was handled fairly and responsibly. Another 92% said data collection could be acceptable under certain conditions, including a clear purpose, consent or opt-in, limited collection, and the ability to opt out of non-essential data collection.
Kind said…
